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Gose seeks results with new batting technique

Gose seeks results with new batting technique

9/7/13: Anthony Gose rips a triple to center field off Josh Roenicke to plate Rajai Davis, extending the Blue Jays' lead to 8-1

By Evan Peaslee
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MLB.com |

TORONTO -- Anthony Gose has been working on eliminating a leg kick from his swing as he tries to find success at the big league level.

Gose has struggled at times in the Majors, batting just .227 over 92 games the past two seasons, and as a result has opted for a new approach at the plate.

"I know what it's like to not have success here, and I don't want to have that feeling again," Gose said. "[The leg kick] works at the lower levels, but they change speeds so good here that it's not real consistent."

The speedy Blue Jays outfielder has been spending additional time with hitting coach Chad Mottola to eliminate the kick, with the purpose of fixing his timing at the plate.

"That kick has been messing with his timing, but he's working at that," manager John Gibbons said. "That's key -- eliminate that kick a little bit, simplify some things, and that should do wonders for his timing."

So far the results have been scattered and a work in progress. The leg kick is something the 23-year-old has had since he was traded to Toronto in 2010, and it is a lengthy process to remove that muscle memory from one's game.

"Looks good in the cage without it, but still in the game, on video and everything, there's still a little kick there," Gose said. "Just trying to slowly try and eliminate it."

"It's one of those things that he's been doing for so long, and we tell him to just play the game, react normally, work on that on the side … and then eventually hopefully it just happens naturally," Gibbons said.

Evan Peaslee is an associate reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter at @EvanPeaslee. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.